Popular/Key Questions

This is an opportunity to make sure that we adapt to the changes that have taken place in medical advances and in the health needs of the local population.

We also want to ensure that services are flexible enough to meet future challenges, including an ageing population, an increase in people with long term conditions and new treatments.

There is also a need to make significant financial savings while ensuring safe, high quality healthcare is maintained. These savings are necessary, partly because of the savings that have to be made across the NHS as a whole, and partly because it is not possible to provide all of the local health services in the way that they are currently being delivered within the funding that is available.

There have been problems in the area recruiting doctors and nurses and we are working to make this easier in future.

Who is involved in the 'Better Care Together' programme?

This review is being carried out by local NHS organisations including NHS Morecambe Bay Clinical Commissioning Group and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospitals in Lancaster, Barrow and Kendal. Full details are available in the 'About us' section of this website.

The eight organisations have developed a clinical strategy for how hospital and other health and care services will work together in the future across our area – the Better Care Together strategy.

Which services are involved in this review?

Healthcare professionals are working together to look at three key, but large, services:

Women's and Children's Services

Elective Care

Out of Hospital care

They are looking at how and where services are provided both inside and outside hospitals, in communities, in GP surgeries and in people’s homes.

What is integrated care?

You can see illustrations of what integrated care is in the short animations below:

The jargon of 'integrated care' is much-used in health policy and management circles. But why does 'integrated care' matter? And what will it mean for patients? This short animation aims to bring integrated care to life for anyone involved in improving patient care. If those working towards integrated care can share this vision with others in their local health and care system, then there is a real chance they can make integrated care happen. http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/nhs-65/alternative-guide-new-nhs-england

Does this mean cutting services?

It means services may be delivered differently e.g. some care traditionally provided in hospitals is now being provided out of hospital.

This is why it was and still is important that everyone has the opportunity to share their views including patients, the public, clinicians, NHS staff, elected members, voluntary organisations and other interested parties.

How can I share my views or get involved?

Feedback from the public and stakeholders has and continues to be given to health professionals to help them with their work.

We are also forming Integrated Care Communities (see ICCs section on this website), which are currently at different stages of development. They have held meetings – or they will be inviting the public to attend meetings – to engage with their local communities about health and wellbeing.

Yes. The healthcare professionals involved in this review are committed to taking account of the views they get from local people and other interested parties.

Feedback from the public and stakeholders has strongly influenced and shaped the strategy which was published in 2015, and continues to be used, both in the formation of Integrated Care Communities – and the design of new models of care.

It is important to say that this is not an easy task. Everyone is an individual and we all have different views. We will not necessarily get everything we want, in some cases the practicality of delivery and affordability will also have to be acknowledged and compromises have to be made.

How can I find out more?

More information is available on this website. If you have any specific questions or concerns, you can get in touch via the contact us page on this website.